Fot. Stary Poznań Then and Now

Metamorphosis in the Poznań style. History of the court building on Marcinkowskiego Avenue

·11 April 2025

Over the course of more than 150 years, the corner of Al. Marcinkowskiego and Solna Street in the centre of Poznań witnessed significant urban, political and architectural changes. It was here that the magnificent Königliches Landgericht in Posen, one of the most important official buildings of the Prussian era in the city, was built between 1873 and 1875. Its turbulent history reflects the fate of Poznan itself and the changing political realities.

Prussian foundations of justice (1873-1919)

The decision to build a new court was taken as part of the development of the judicial infrastructure in the Prussian partition. The design of the building was drawn up by Heinrich Koch, with final approval and refinement by the architect Heinrich Ludwig Alexander Herrmann. The monumental edifice was built on the site of a former salt warehouse of an administrative and storage character. Situated on an L-shaped plan with the main façade facing what was then Wilhelmstrasse (today Aleje Marcinkowskiego), the new building was a model example of the style of the Berlin School of Architecture. The yellow and red clinker brick façade, decorative risalits, loggias and touches of Italian Renaissance added to its sophistication. Sculptural details such as figures of Themis and Nemesis, griffins on the corners and reliefs symbolising justice and the power of the law were also characteristic. The interior and functional layout were subordinate to the requirements of a judicial institution. There was a second entrance on the side of today’s Solna Street, and behind the building were the prison complexes, separated from the main building by a courtyard with greenery.

The interwar years – the court in independent Poland (1919-1939)

After the end of the First World War and the restoration of Poland’s independence, the building came under the administration of the Polish judicial authorities. As early as 1919, the first trials began here, and a year later the institution was formally transformed into the Polish District Court in Poznan. The building played a key role in the justice system throughout the Second Republic.

gmach sądu — The building in the 1930s Source: NAC – National Digital Archive

Destruction during World War II (1939-1945)

During the Nazi occupation, the edifice again became the seat of the German Land Court, headed by Georg Braun. The war years left a tragic mark on the building itself. During the fierce fighting for the city and the nearby Citadel in 1945, there was a fire which caused very serious damage to the building. The representative edifice turned into a burnt-out ruin, but the perimeter walls mostly survived.

Demolition decision and new life (1949-1953)

In March 1949, however, the Architectural Commission decided to demolish the courthouse, a decision that seems completely incomprehensible. Only fragments of the basement walls and foundations were left. In their place, between 1952 and 1953, a new building was erected, which still dominates the western frontage of Marcinkowskiego Avenue. The architect Stanisław Pogórski was responsible for the design of the new court building. The new building retained its monumentality and classical proportions, but its form was already subordinated to the aesthetics of post-war modernism with classicising elements. Erected on a rectangular plan with an internal courtyard, the building retained symmetry and restrained detail. Its façade bears the Latin motto Justitia omnibus fiat – ‘Justice for all’.

Present day – the court for the city’s residents (from 1953 to the present)

For decades, the new building served as the seat of the Poznań District Court. Between 1996 and 1997, the last storey was added above the crowning cornice, taking care to preserve the architectural harmony of the building. Since 1 July 2015, the Poznań-New Town and Wilda District Court has also had its seat in the building.

The court building as a symbol of

Although the original Prussian building did not survive the wartime conflagration and post-war demolitions, its history is still alive. It can be found both in documents and in preserved photographs. The modern courthouse, standing on its former foundations, is a symbolic bridge between the past and the present and a sign of the continuity of the idea of justice, regardless of the regime or time.

Source: Old Poznań Then and Now, codziennypoznan.pl

Aleje Marcinkowskiego on a postcard from the early 20th century and a few years ago. Photo: MKZ in Poznań and Old Poznań Then and Now